“How would you describe your health right now?” Dr. Liu asked at our first meeting. He was sitting behind a beautiful wooden desk, in a large, light, and airy consultation room at the 101 Wellbeing Centre in Brisbane. I moved uncomfortably in my chair, and tears began to pool in my eyes, I cleared my throat and with a slight tremble in my voice, I told him the truth; “I haven’t felt ‘well’ in more than a decade”.
The Brisbane clinic. Traditional Chinese Medicine Australia has clinics around Australia. Image © Skye Gilkeson
Perhaps it was that desperation that made me do it; my desire to feel well again after many years spent battling an autoimmune disease. A struggle that continues today. I’d be lying if I didn’t admit it was also the program’s promise of rapid weight loss that sparked my interest. Blowing out my thyroid last year caused my body to blow out too. While I am working my way back to normal, the prospect of speeding up that process was too enticing to pass up. No doubt I also wanted to prove to myself I could ‘achieve’ something again when it comes to wellness, after the ups and downs of the past year. These are my very personal reasons for accepting an invitation to try the 101 Wellbeing Program for two weeks, and that’s exactly as it should be; a personal decision. Is the program extreme? Some say it is. It is mainstream? Absolutely not. Is it for you? That’s entirely your own decision. This is simply my own experience.
The quiet and beautiful waiting room at the 101 Wellbeing Centre Brisbane. Image © Skye Gilkeson
The 101 Wellbeing Program
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It was some years ago that I first heard about the 101 Wellbeing Program. I was waiting for an acupuncture appointment at Dr Liu’s clinic in Sydney’s Bondi Junction when I saw a number of people coming into the clinic, collecting a bag from the front counter and promptly leaving again. I couldn’t help myself and asked one woman what was in the mystery bag. She showed me the herbs and summarised the program saying, “It’s expensive, but it works”. That’s exactly how news of Dr Liu’s program has spread among inner Sydney circles for years. You won’t find flashy banners or infomercials advertising the 101 Wellbeing Program, Dr Liu’s clientele comes largely from referrals by past patients, among them celebrities and high-profile figures including Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull who reportedly lost 14 kilos following the plan.
Wellbeing vs Weight loss
With patients typically losing between 5 to 8 kilos in the first two weeks, the weight loss element is undoubtedly an attractive side effect of the program, but Dr Liu stresses weight loss isn’t the whole story.
101 Wellbeing is about helping people to live beyond 100 years old. It’s about longevity; “designed for people who have a gap between their current health and optimal health”, he explains. The aim is to ease the burden on the body’s internal organs, allowing them to detox and reset; in turn to work more efficiently and ultimately use “30% less energy to run the body”. At the same time, the program will “reset the natural body shape”.
Dr Liu says patients often experience a reduction in stress levels or other emotional benefits and may not need to rely as heavily on medication over the long term.
Despite the restrictions of the program itself, Dr Liu says it is about helping people to achieve more balance in their daily life once they are back in their own routine so they can lead to a longer, healthier life;
“The idea is every single person should have the chance to pass away naturally, not from disease and sickness”, he says.
The treatment rooms at the 101 Wellbeing Centre in Brisbane where I spent my mornings on the program. Image © Skye Gilkeson
Who is the 101 Wellbeing Program For?
Dr Liu has treated patients ranging in age from 10 to 88 years old. He counts everyone from CEOs to overworked corporates, busy mothers, people with chronic illness, and medical doctors as his regular patients.
Some come in for weekly treatments, some monthly, while others book into his Central Coast clinic for an intensive week of treatments, each year.
Having faced criticism for the cost of the full 3-month program in the past, I asked Dr Liu how those other than the one-percenters could actually afford it.
He assured me while the complete program is involved (and an investment), he is happy to adapt it to suit the individual (and their budget).
For that very reason, he also hopes to pen a book to make the program more accessible to everyone, including people outside of Australia.
My Personal Experience on the 101 Wellbeing Program
The program comprises three phases; Cleanse and Release, Repair and Recover, and Whole Body Recalibration. The time spent in each of the phases depends on the clinic’s assessment of you and your health needs. Generally, the minimum time spent on the whole program is 4 to 6 weeks. For many, it is 12 weeks.
I was invited to try the initial 2-week Cleanse and Repair phase; arguably the toughest as it is also the fasting and cleansing phase. The length of this phase varies for each person; some will only need to fast for 5 days, others for 3 weeks.
During the two-week program, I was given three sachets of liquid herbs to drink each day. I was also allowed to drink as much still water and pure black tea as I liked.
I was told the herbal mixture would target my liver and kidneys – which could explain the overwhelming bitterness of the herbs. The first few days I struggled to try to get the herbs down but by the end of the fortnight, I had become an expert at guzzling the thick, black mixture at lightning speed.
My custom brewed Chinese Herbal Medicine became breakfast, lunch and my liquid dinner while on the program. Image © Skye Gilkeson
Each morning, I also went to the Brisbane clinic for treatment with my practitioner, David. The treatments included Tui Na (massage), acupuncture and on a few occasions, cupping. Each day, I was also weighed. While the clinic is clean and quiet with soft lighting and music playing, this is not a day spa experience.
I became increasingly sensitive to acupuncture needles (even as someone who has acupuncture treatments regularly). But I gradually managed the pain and even began to nap during the treatments.
Bruises left by daily acupuncture sessions – a key part of the 101 Wellbeing Program. Image © Skye Gilkeson
Cupping is used to improve circulation, and mobility and encourage detoxification during the 101 Wellbeing Program. Image © Skye Gilkeson
Mentally, day one of the fast was the toughest. My mind was chaotic. Feelings and emotions swirled. As a self-confessed coffee addict, I was struggling with withdrawal from caffeine and my head was pounding. On day two the headache continued and I was overcome with fatigue. I was definitely swimming in self-pity.
On day three things got interesting. A calm washed over me, an intense calm. I began to really reconnect with my body. It went beyond hunger: sounds were more intense, I reacted with strong emotion to music, and I became acutely aware of my surrounds; the people, the smells, and the sunlight. I joked with my husband that I had finally become Superwoman, just as I had always planned. I sat still without fidgeting during the day and after sinking into the mattress each night, I slept more deeply than I had in a very long time. My mind was clearer and I became less reactive. Interestingly, I was reminded of my emotional connection to food too. My husband had a health scare while travelling in the United States, during the first week of the fast. It was a terrifying time and with my emotions peaked my thoughts ran to food for comfort. While I didn’t indulge them, it was fascinating to watch those feelings and that pattern resurface.
Socially, it felt safer to become a recluse in order to avoid the temptation (and torture) of being around people and all of their delicious food. I only left the house once a day to buy an overpriced takeaway black tea from a local coffee shop, adding a modest slice of normality to my day.
Leading up to the fast, I had images of myself sprawled out in bed during the day, unable to move from utter exhaustion. It was quite a dramatic scene in my mind. In reality, that wasn’t the case at all; I worked full days, albeit at a much slower pace; my energy remained steady, except for one evening when I climbed into bed, mostly out of boredom.
Daydreaming about food became my new occupation. It occupied my mind and my time for large parts of the day. I would find myself consumed by food videos hitting my Facebook feed. Initially, I just stopped to watch them as they passed amid a sea of baby photos and status updates. Soon I was actively seeking food accounts, becoming completely absorbed by their mouth-watering creations. I found myself bingeing on Netflix one evening too; watching the entire season of Chef’s Table in one sitting. Awkwardly, I then began asking my husband to describe his meals to me in detail. The physical cravings were fascinating as well. The first day it was a green apple (and I don’t even eat apples) but for the rest of the fast I only had one dish on my mind. It wasn’t chocolate, pasta, wine or anything super indulgent, just a simple breakfast of eggs on toast.
Happy and content after completing two weeks of the 101 Wellbeing Program. Image © Skye Gilkeson
During the daily weigh-ins, I became increasingly impatient for the numbers to fall. Despite David’s reassurance, I began to sigh with disappointment each time. I could see how this could easily become an obsession and I quickly understood the importance of daily monitoring during these first two weeks of the program. They were as much about the individual’s mental health as their physical progress.
My smile was a mile wide on completing the program. I was full of energy. Losing eight kilos in 14 days proved that my body is more dynamic than perhaps I have been giving it credit for. But it was overcoming the mental challenge that was by far the most rewarding part of the program for me, and a powerful personal reminder that perhaps I had been craving more than any gourmet meal (or even those delicious eggs on toast).
Learn more about the 101 Wellbeing Program and TCM Australia
Consult your own physician before undertaking this treatment. This is my personal account of the 101 Wellbeing Program. The medical information in this article is provided as an information resource only and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. This information is not intended to be patient education, does not create any patient-physician relationship, and should not be used as a substitute for professional diagnosis and treatment.
Skye is the founder and editor-in-chief of The Fit Traveller.
She is a journalist, writer, photographer, intrepid traveller and a former personal trainer with a passion for helping others reach optimal health.
As a TV journalist and producer, Skye has worked for household names such as 60 Minutes, Sunrise, TODAY and Nine News. She has also written for Women’s Health, Fodor’s Travel and Yahoo7 Travel, among many others.
Equally comfortable in a 5-star resort or hiking a far-off mountain, Skye loves the unexpected and enriching life experiences that each trip brings and can often be found in a backstreet chatting to locals with her camera in hand.
Skye is based in Sydney, working to master the balance between motherhood and her appetite for adventure.
Read more about Skye’s story here.